News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-03-31
FROM WASHINGTON.
from our Regular Correspondent
WASuTNcTON n g.

I
est. At least SO States will be rep
resented by some of their best mill
tary organizations and all the indica-
tons point TO a grand affair. The
carnival, however, which it was pro-
posed should take place at the close
of the drill, has been postponed until
October. 1t was decided that there
would not be sufficient time now be-
fore the drill to make the preparations
necessary for carrying out carnival
on the magnificent scale that is con-
templated.
Washington has been having some
of those national conventions for
which it is famed these days, and with
which it is seldom without. The most
important, probably, was held in the
lecture hall of the National Museum
and was gathering of pedagogues
from all parts of the country. They
exchanged experiences and opinions,
made speeches and read papers of
practical interest and value, discussed
industrial education, and explained
why they met at the National Capital
this year, and would meet here for
many years to come, to discuss ma
tional questions.
The President of the National De-
partment of Superintendent, Mr..
Young, of Nevada, after referring to
Washington's plan for national uni
versity in this city, said the only in
spiration of the last session of Con-
gress seemed to be "millions for de-
fence, but not one cent for education.
Not even the cornerstone of Wash
ington's ideal university had been laid.
He said there might soon be de-
mand for a national normal school.
The State institutions could not meet
the demand for trained teachers. He
referred to the work carried on by ex-
listing scientific bureaus of the govern
ment, and asked if there was any bet
ter reason for aiding such science of
pedagogy.
The fate of the Blair bill was re-
ferred to as a defeat of the will of the
people, and the statement was made
that there are now six millions of our
people who can neither read nor write.
This condition would exist until aid
was afforded by the gentlemen who
assembled at the Capitol. The expen-
ditures for public education in France,
Germany, Holland and other coun-
tries were cited to prove that there
was nothing in their history against
governmet aid to the national nurser-
les Of science and learning.
Before this letter reaches you the
Interstate Commerce Commission will
probably be completed and the names
made known. Yesterday two Of the
five places were still untitled, and the
President was waiting to hear from
two men in regard to them. There
have been five or six hundred appli-
cants, and among them as many Re-
publicans as Democrats. In making
his selection of the two Republicans
the President, tits SAID, has really had
better list to select from than that
provided by the applicants of his own
party. 1t is said that the reason why
Mr.. Cleveland has so long delayed
action in the matter is that he has
been extremely DESTROYS of making
such appointments as will bear all just
and fair criticism.
II was declared in debate ip. Con-
gress that some sections of the lnter-
State Commerce bill were so vaguely
worded that nobody could tell what
they meant. 1t has been discovered
that the Agricultural bill, although
purporting to make an appropriation,
failed to do SO. The regular appro-
priation bills are found to be full of
clauses of doubtful meaning. The
trade dollar bill was so crude that
there was much doubt as to the posi-
bility of it's execution. The Anti-Po-
lygamy act also is said to contain some
inexpiicable provisions, but it is not
, necessary to extend the list to show
that the Forty-ninth Congress was
guilty of much sloyenlv legislation.
The wording of laws should at least
, be careful enough to afford the admin
istrative branch and the people some
chance of knowing what the laws for
their government mean.
The Democrats are divided as to
which of trinity of their leaders is
to blame for the failures OF the Con-
gress which has just expired. Some
blame the President, some blame
Speaker Carlisle, and most Of them
blame Mr.. Randall, the Chairman of
the Great Appropriations Commit tee.
The latter did all he could to prevent
legislation, it is true, but he would
have been powerless had not Mr. Car
Isle exercised his autocratic power to
defeat and delay measures proper and
necessary to be passed. He could
have recognized some one to make a
motion to suspend the rules and pass
certain measures of pressing impor-
lance, but he defeated them by refus-
, ing to do so, and he refused to do so
because he was opposed to them.
The Governor Of Tennessee has
signed the bill submitting a Prohibi-
ton amendment to the people. The
| amendment will he voted unOn navt